


Crowleystiltskin

by suchanadorer



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, M/M, Prompt Fill, SRS 2012
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-28
Updated: 2013-01-28
Packaged: 2017-11-27 08:09:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/659740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suchanadorer/pseuds/suchanadorer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Winchester's mouth catches up to him, leading to his son, Sam, being taken prisoner by the King of Hell. Sam doesn't know the first thing about turning straw into souls, but luckily, there's someone else who does. Just not for free.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crowleystiltskin

It started with drunken bragging. Had John Winchester known who he was sitting next to, he would have kept his mouth shut, but he hadn’t, so he didn’t, and the lies had grown bigger and bigger. The next day, the man from the bar was knocking on his door, but this time he was dressed in his royal finery.

Lucifer, King of Hell, had come to collect Sam, John’s son, all because John had claimed that Sam knew how to turn ordinary straw into real human souls.

Lucifer had been gentle with the boy, but the threat was made clear. If it turned out that John was lying, Sam would be killed. If it was true, then John’s family would be richly rewarded.

Sam glared at the pile of straw that sat across from him in the tiny tower room. The room was bare but for a bed that was too small, and a spinning wheel, for whatever reason. He had tried chants and incantations, but nothing had worked, and he was certain that this night was to be his last, all because of his father’s drunken bravado.

“Seems to me you have a problem.” The voice came from the darkest corner of the room, and Sam turned to look. A short man in a tailored jacket stepped out of the shadows and smiled primly at him.

“I don’t have a problem. My alcoholic father, now he has a problem.”

“Oh, so you know exactly what to do in order to turn that pile of weeds into human souls, then? My mistake. I’ll be off.”

“No. Wait.”

The little man arched an eyebrow and turned on his heel. “Yes?”

“I, umm, I don’t. Know. I don’t know how to do it and Lucifer will kill me if I don’t have it done by dawn.” The words came out of Sam in a tumble, and now that he was admitting the situation, he realized he was pretty scared.

“Well, now. Looks like you could use a bit of help.”

“Are you just going to do play-by-play on the rest of my night, or do you have a suggestion?”

“Cheeky, but as a matter of fact I do have a suggestion. Let me do it.”

“You know how?” Crowley nods. “Why would you do that for me?”

“You’re a smart one. I like that. I’ll do it because I have a giving spirit, and because you have a very nice watch that you don’t seem to be needing anymore.”

Sam looks down at the elegant silver watch on his wrist. “This was my grandfather’s.”

“And you’ll be meeting him soon if you don’t get that straw changed. You can thank him for it then, or you can give it to me and meet him many, many years hence. What do you say?”

Sam reluctantly removed the watch and handed it to the little man, who simply slipped it into his pocket, then snapped his fingers.

The pile of straw lit up with the unmistakable light of hundreds of human souls.

“Good luck trying to sleep in that,” Crowley quipped before disappearing. Sam didn’t care about sleep. He was overjoyed, if a little anxious. Exchanging his life for a watch seemed like an easy choice, but Sam doubted that it was as cut and dry as it appeared.

Lucifer was pleased that morning when he came to Sam’s chambers. He asked Sam how he’d done it, and Sam had merely replied that it was an old family secret that he was loathe to share. Lucifer was skeptical, but satisfied, calling in his servants to cart the souls away.

The next night, the King led Sam to an even larger room, this time in the center of the castle. The straw was taller than Sam himself, and piled long against the far wall.

This time Sam didn’t try any chants or spells. He simply pulled up a stool and waited, glancing back and forth between the pile of straw and the single, tiny window.

The sky had just begun to lighten when the little man appeared again, looking just as smug as he had the night before.

“Please,” Sam begged, “you have to help me.”

“Do I?” he asked, examining his fingernails.

“If Lucifer finds out that last night was a trick, he’ll kill me.”

“Well, in that case…” the little man said. “Much bigger pile this time. I doubt you have another watch.”

Sam was crestfallen. He didn’t know what else to offer.

The little man turned to go.

“Wait!” Sam called out, and he paused. “I do have this.”

Sam pulled his dagger from the back waistband of his pants. He’d hidden it there when Lucifer had taken him, and so far no one had noticed him carrying it. It was beautiful, silver etched with sigils, and a handle with inlaid pearl and jewels.

The little man narrowed his eyes and stretched out a hand. “Let’s have a look, love.”

Sam handed over the dagger and the little man inspected it. He hummed and tutted, split a piece of straw along the blade and eyed it carefully to see that it wasn’t warped. Finally satisfied, he snapped his fingers.

The straw shone brightly, and Sam was left alone in the room with only minutes to spare before Lucifer entered. He was thrilled, embracing Sam and promising him that he only had one more night of testing before this would be over.

The final night came. Sam was taken to a chamber under the castle. It was a vault with a high ceiling, and seemed long enough to run the length of the castle itself. This time, straw was piled to the ceiling, more than Sam had ever seen in his life.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Sam began to panic. This time he truly had nothing left to trade. He didn’t even now is the little man would find him down there. They’d gone through many twisting tunnels and secret doors to reach this room.

“Little man,” Sam whispered, “please. I can not do this on my own.”

“Ah, but you have nothing left to trade, do you?” He appeared behind Sam, hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels. “Tell you what. I propose a delayed payment.”

Sam nodded, listening closely.

“Lucifer is going to ask you to marry him.” At that Sam blushed. The King had been kind to him, and his glances often lingered, but Sam was not aware that he was being courted. “Agree to it. Marry him, and he will give you the key to Hell. When he does, I will be back to collect it.”

Sam nodded again. “Done,” he said. It all sounded too preposterous to be true, so he didn’t see the harm in accepting the offer. There was no way he would ever be given the key to Hell.

“This one we seal with a kiss,” the little man purred. Sam’s skin crawled. He didn’t want to, but down here in the dark he had no idea how long it would be until dawn. He dropped to one knee and closed his eyes. The little man’s lips pressed softly against Sam’s, and behind Sam’s eyelids he could see when the straw was turned to souls. It was so bright in the dark room that he dared not open his eyes until Lucifer came to collect him.

Just as the little man had told him, Lucifer asked Sam to marry him and share the throne in Hell. Sam accepted, wooed by the king’s kindness and the promise that his family would be taken care of.

The wedding was a great affair, with music and dancing and ceremonies, one of which included Lucifer presenting Sam with his present. Sam felt a growing sense of dread, and his worst fears were confirmed when Lucifer opened the small wooden box and knelt before his husband.

Inside the box was a single key. It didn’t look like much. It was wrought iron and fit easily in Sam’s hand, but he could feel the cold from it and knew that this was the key to Hell.

Lucifer looped it onto a simple silver chain and placed it delicately around Sam’s neck. When Sam looked out across the great hall, he saw the little man at the far back, leaning against a door frame. He waved to Sam, and Sam’s heart sank, for he had never told Lucifer about the straw, and now he feared he would have to give up his greatest possession, and possibly lose his life.

Sam tried to enjoy the party, but it was impossible and he retired early. Lucifer promised to join him soon.

Sam locked himself away in their room and waited. He knew that the little man would come. He paced and fretted, and before long he was joined by his familiar companion.

“Well, well. Congratulations, Your Highness,” the little man said with a mocking bow. “I’ll be having that key now, if you please.”

“I can’t,” Sam said, backing away, one hand clutching the key around his neck. “Lucifer will kill me. I never told him, and now he loves me. He’ll never understand.”

“I fail to see how any of this is my problem,” he said. “But, being that it’s your wedding and I’ve come without a present, I suppose I could consider changing the deal. Just this once, mind.”

Sam waited to hear what the new conditions would be.

“You have to guess my name,” the little man said. “You have three days. You can guess three times each day, and if you get it right, you keep the key. But when you lose, which you will, the key is mine.”

Sam was frightened and worried, but he had no other choice. He could not give away the key to Lucifer’s kingdom. It would be his undoing.

“Fine,” Sam said with a solemn nod. “Do we start tonight?”

“Might as well. The sooner we get it over with, the better.”

“Don,” Sam said. The little man shook his head.

“William?”

The little man made a face, then shook his head.

“John,” Sam offered. It was one of the most common names, but to no avail.

“Well, that’s your three for today. I’ll be back tomorrow. Do try to be a little creative.”

The man disappeared, and Sam sank down on to the edge of bed and waited, heavy-hearted, for his husband to join him.

The next day Sam sent messages to everyone he knew, asking if anyone had heard of the little fellow. He warned them to be careful with their inquiries lest he be accused of cheating. By the end of the day they had brought him lists of names, which he read through carefully, trying to choose the three that seemed most likely to fit.

The little man appeared to Sam just after sundown. Lucifer was away, conducting business in another part of Hell. He gave Sam a bow and then stood still, patiently waiting for Sam’s three guesses.

“Gordon,” Sam tried. The little man laughed.

“Motörhead,” Sam suggested.

“Are you insane? What a rubbish name,” came the reply.

“Benny.”

“Aww, better luck tomorrow, my friend. Of course I mean for me, because you’ll never guess my name and then you’ll be out one very, very important key.”

And with that he vanished.

The third day dawned after a sleepless night for Sam. He had not heard from his brother or father with their suggestions for names, and he was surprised when Dean appeared, breathless and grinning, at the castle gate.

“Sammy!” he cried. “I got it!”

Sam rushed down to greet him and led him inside. “What do you have?” he asked when they were finally alone.

“The name, man, the name! I was out in the woods last night when I came across this cabin with someone inside. It was your little dude! He was making dinner and singing to himself, and I heard him say his name.”

Sam was elated. This was excellent news. It meant that he could defeat the man who’d tricked him, and he’d be able to keep the key, keeping Hell safely in Lucifer’s grasp.

Dean whispered the name in Sam’s ear, and Sam frowned. It was a strange name indeed, not one that he ever would have guessed.

That night when the little man came, Lucifer was with Sam. Now that Sam had the name, he had confessed everything to Lucifer, who had been angry, but understanding in the end, and relieved to know that all would be well. He did not want to have to choose between his prince and his kingdom.

The little man smiled serenely, sure in his victory, and Sam played his part very well, fidgeting nervously and stumbling over his words.

“Nicholas,” he supplied, and the little man’s grin grew broader.

“Is it… Seamus?”

“Oh dear me, Sam, you are down to your last name. Does it pain you to know that you will fail in front of your beloved husband, and that he will have to watch as you hand over the kingdom to me?”

“No, Crowley. It doesn’t.”

Crowley stopped cold in his tracks. He’d been advancing on Sam, prepared to take the key, but now his eyes widen and his face went red with rage.

“Who told you? Who the bloody hell told you?! I’ll kill every last one of them if I have to!! No! Hell will be mine! No!”

He threw a full-fledged temper tantrum right there on the floor of the castle, in full view of Lucifer and Sam, who could only look on in amusement.

“Take him away,” Lucifer sighed, tiring of Crowley’s theatrics.

“What do we do with him?” The servants asked.

“I could not care less. Dump him outside the borders of our land and see to it that everyone knows his name so that he can never, ever return.”

Crowley was dragged, wailing and cursing, from the throne room, and was never heard from again.

Sam and Lucifer reigned in Hell for all the rest of their days. Being that Lucifer was immortal, you can safely bet that they are still there now.


End file.
